Anesthesia and Neuromuscular Agents

General anesthesia is best defined as:

• Normal sleep with protective reflexes intact

• Medication-induced reversible unconsciousness with loss of protective reflexes

• A state of sedation with maintained reflexes

• Hypnosis without amnesia

The administration of anesthesia requires:

• A registered nurse

• A CRNA or anesthesiologist educated in advanced airway management

• A respiratory therapist

• A surgical technician

In life-threatening situations, the nurse's first priority is:

• Assessing labs

• Administering IV fluids

• Maintaining airway, breathing, circulation, and providing oxygen

• Starting antibiotics

The three phases of general anesthesia are:

• Preparation, sedation, emergence

• Induction, recovery, sedation

• Induction, maintenance, emergence

• Intubation, maintenance, recovery

Balanced anesthesia uses multiple medications to achieve:

• Paralysis and euphoria

• Amnesia, analgesia, hypnosis, muscle relaxation

• Sleep without memory loss

• Pain relief only

Volatile inhalation anesthetics are:

• Gaseous hydrocarbons producing euphoria only

• Liquid halogenated hydrocarbons producing hypnosis, amnesia, muscle relaxation

• IV drugs used in induction

• Opioid derivatives

7. Nitrous oxide is unique because it:

• is the only inhalational anesthetic that is a gas at room temperature

• is the most potent anesthetic agent

• causes significant muscle relaxation

• is metabolized extensively in the liver

Malignant hyperthermia is triggered by:

• Opiates

• Benzodiazepines

• Volatile anesthetics or succinylcholine in genetically susceptible patients

• Propofol

Intravenous anesthetics are valued for:

• Long duration of action

• Minimal sedation

• Rapid onset of hypnosis or sedation

• Avoiding airway support

Propofol requires careful handling because:

• It causes hallucinations

• Mishandling can cause bacterial contamination → systemic sepsis

• It always causes malignant hyperthermia

• It leads to hyperkalemia